Top-fill hummingbird feeder with vertically operative base sealing mechanism

ABSTRACT

A top-fill hummingbird feeder has a liquid container with a lower bottom opening which can be screw-threaded into a central collar of a feeding basin. An insert is received within the central collar and is configured to be vertically movable between a first position in which fluid is allowed to flow from the liquid container to the basin, and a second position in which fluid flow from the container to the basin is prevented.

This application is a continuation application of co-pending applicationSer. No. 13/656,419, filed Oct. 19, 2012, issuing as U.S. Pat. No.9,179,650 on Nov. 10, 2015, which is a continuation of application Ser.No. 13/317,654, filed Oct. 25, 2011, which issued as U.S. Pat. No.8,291,862 on Oct. 23, 2012, which is a continuation application ofapplication Ser. No. 12/213,924, filed Jun. 26, 2008, which issued asU.S. Pat. No. 8,051,803 on Nov. 8, 2011, the priority of whichapplications is hereby claimed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to the field of bird feeders and, moreparticularly, to a top-fill hummingbird feeder.

2. Description of the Related Art

People who live in an area inhabited by hummingbirds frequently try topromote their presence by the use of hummingbird feeders. Hummingbirdfeeders differ from ordinary bird feeders because hummingbirds feed onnectar or simulated nectar, which are liquid, instead of the seeds orother dry food consumed by most birds from bird feeders. Simulatednectar is typically formed from water sweetened with sugar or honey. Inmany hummingbird feeders, the nectar (or simulated nectar) is stored ina reservoir and conveyed to simulated flowers where a perch may beprovided so that the hummingbird can land and, having a long, slenderbeak, insert it into the access apertures in the simulated flower andfeed.

Most hummingbird feeders have one of two basic designs. One includes aninverted top container which empties into a lower reservoir or feedingbasin from which the birds feed. The vacuum at the top of the container(or put another way, the outside air pressure) keeps the liquid in thetop container from draining too rapidly out of the feeding basin. Theother common feeder design consists of a container with holes in itscover through which the hummingbirds reach to feed. This latter style offeeder suffers from the problem that it must be refilled very often,because the level of food is constantly being reduced by the feeding.

The so-called “vacuum-type” feeders also have problems. For example,they can only be filled by dismantling the feeder and removing the topcontainer from its feeding position. Ordinarily, the consumer mustinvert the feeder in order to refill it, with the attendant risks ofspillage, and requires a certain amount of manual dexterity to createthe necessary vacuum. Moreover, because a vacuum is required, thesedesigns are limited to a single opening for filling and cleaning. Thisopening is typically small, which restricts access to the interior ofthe container and makes it more difficult to effectively clean thecontainer. Additionally, vacuum feeders can corrode or be inefficient,permitting the nectar to leak and creating an increased risk of insectcontamination.

One product which has been available in the market is the Garden SongTop Fill Hummingbird Feeder from Opus Incorporated, now marketed by theassignee of the instant invention. The Opus feeder includes anupstanding liquid container with a large top opening and a smallcylindrical lower opening which is screw-threaded into an upstandingcylindrical collar positioned in the center of a feeding basin or liquidtray. The top opening is closed with a cover that seals the container tocreate a vacuum as the liquid level recedes downwardly in the container.An internal, rotatable ring or valve mechanism has an upstandingcylindrical wall which surrounds the aforesaid cylindrical collar insidethe feeding basin.

The wall of the cylindrical collar has a plurality of ports, and thecylindrical wall of the rotatable ring has a plurality of correspondingopenings. When the openings in the rotatable ring are aligned with theports of the collar using an externally accessible lever, nectar canflow out of the container lower opening, through the aligned ports andopenings, and into the feeding basin or liquid tray. When the rotatablering is rotated using the externally accessible lever, so that itsopenings are not aligned with the ports of the collar, the nectar flowfrom the container to the feeding base is cut off. In this condition,the cover can be removed from the container top opening for (re)fillingthe container without nectar in the container flowing out through thecollar to flood and overflow the feeding base or liquid tray. Thisdesign also permits the top opening to be large enough to facilitateeasy cleaning of the bottle. However, the rotational sealing design ofthe Opus feeder does not provide the user with a positive indication ofthe feeder having been placed into the open and/or closed positions.

Another top-fill style hummingbird feeder is set forth in co-pendingapplication Ser. No. 11/785,905, also owned by the assignee of theinstant invention. This hummingbird feeder includes a generallyupstanding reservoir bottle having a large opening at its top end thatis sealed by a removable top or cap. The bottom of the bottle orcontainer has a lower bottom opening which can be screw-threaded into acentral collar of a feeding basin that has a plurality of feeding portsin a known arrangement. An upwardly biased sealing mechanism isconnected to the bottom end of an actuator rod positioned longitudinallydown the center of the reservoir bottle. The sealing mechanism andactuator rod are operatively movable between a down position and an upposition by screw-threading the removable top onto and off of,respectively, the reservoir bottle top open end. When the actuator rodand the sealing mechanism move to the down position by closing the topcap, the sealing mechanism opens the bottle lower opening and allows theflow of liquid nectar out of the reservoir bottle into the feedingbasin. When the actuator rod and sealing mechanism move to the up biasedclosed position by removing the top cap, the sealing mechanism seals offthe bottle lower opening and prevents liquid nectar from flowing out ofthe bottle into the feeding basin.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reliable,consumer-friendly top-fill hummingbird feeder having a liquid-holdingcontainer or bottle with a large open top for easy top filling andcleaning of the container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a top-fillhummingbird feeder in which the liquid-holding container or bottle doesnot have to be inverted after filling in order to create a vacuum tocontrol flow of the liquid nectar to the feeding basin or liquid tray.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a top-fillhummingbird feeder with a liquid-holding container or bottle having alower bottleneck opening and with a sealing mechanism for the bottleneckopening which is actuated by moving the liquid container toward or awayfrom the feeding basin.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a top-fillhummingbird feeder in accordance with the preceding objects, whichincludes a sealing mechanism having a vertically movable tubular insertcoupled to the bottleneck opening and received within an upstandingcollar on the base of the feeding basin, the collar having openingstherein that are alternately opened and closed by back and forthvertical movement of the tubular insert.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a top-fillhummingbird feeder in accordance with the preceding objects which has asealing mechanism that is actuated by vertical movement of the liquidcontainer and which moves between a first fluid flow position and asecond fluid sealing position with a positive audible and physical“snap” that assures the user that the desired position has beenachieved.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a top-fillhummingbird feeder in accordance with the preceding objects, which hascomponents that can be easily manufactured from readily available andknown materials and that can be easily assembled for ease and economy ofmanufacture and easily disassembled and reassembled for easy cleaningand which will be sturdy and long lasting in operation and use.

These and other objects are achieved by a top-fill hummingbird feederwhich includes a generally upstanding reservoir bottle or liquidcontainer having a large opening at its upper end. A removable top orcap is screw-threaded onto the upper end to close and seal the upper endopening. The bottom of the bottle or container has a lower bottomopening, preferably in the form of a threaded bottleneck, which can bescrew-threaded into a central collar of a feeding basin that has aplurality of feeding ports in a known arrangement. A tubular insert isreceived within the central collar and is configured to be verticallymovable from a first position in which fluid is allowed to flow from theliquid container to the basin, and a second position in which fluid flowfrom the container to the basin is prevented. Movement of the insertbetween the two positions is effected by pushing the liquid containertoward the basin or by pulling the liquid container away from the basin.Completion of such pushing and pulling movement is accompanied by anassociated “snap” or other positive physical feedback which the user canfeel to assure the user that the desired fluid flow or fluid sealedposition has been achieved.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded side view of a top-fill hummingbird feeder inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cutaway perspective view of the bottom of the liquidcontainer, the sealing mechanism and the basin of the top-fillhummingbird feeder of FIG. 1 in an assembled condition with the sealingmechanism in the first open position.

FIG. 3 is a cutaway perspective view of the sealing mechanism and thebasin of the top-fill hummingbird feeder of FIG. 1, shown without theliquid container and with the sealing mechanism in the second closedposition.

FIG. 4A is an exploded view of the components of the cap of the top-fillhummingbird feeder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4B is an exploded cross-sectional view of the cap components ofFIG. 4A.

FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view of the cap components of FIG. 4B asassembled.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the base and sealing mechanism of thetop-fill hummingbird feeder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective illustration of the base and sealing mechanismof the top-fill hummingbird feeder of FIG. 1 in the first open positionin accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective illustration of the base and sealing mechanismof the top-fill hummingbird feeder of FIG. 1 in the second closedposition in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cutaway side view of the liquid container, basin and sealingmechanism of the top-fill hummingbird feeder of FIG. 1 in the first openposition in which fluid can flow from the container into the basin.

FIG. 9 is a cutaway side view of the liquid container, basin and sealingmechanism of the top-fill hummingbird feeder of FIG. 1 in the secondclosed position in which fluid flow from the container to the basin isprevented.

FIG. 10 is a top view of the base collar of the top-fill hummingbirdfeeder of FIG. 1 with the tubular insert fitted therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Although only one preferred embodiment of the invention is explained indetail, it is to be understood that the embodiment is given by way ofillustration only. It is not intended that the invention be limited inits scope to the details of construction and arrangement of componentsset forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.Also, in describing the preferred embodiments, specific terminology willbe resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is to be understood that eachspecific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in asimilar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

As shown in the exploded view of FIG. 1, the assembled view of FIG. 2,and the partially assembled view of FIG. 3, the present invention isdirected to a top-fill hummingbird feeder generally designated byreference numeral 10. The feeder consists of a reservoir bottle orliquid container generally designated by reference numeral 12, a feedingbasin generally designated by reference numeral 14, and a sealingmechanism generally designated by reference numeral 16. In accordancewith the present invention, the feeding basin 14 includes a cover 18 anda base 20, and the sealing mechanism 16 includes an upwardly extendingcollar 22, a stopper 24 and a generally tubular insert 26.

The liquid container 12 has an upstanding neck 28 forming a largeopening 30 at its upper end for easy filling and cleaning of the liquidcontainer. The bottom of the liquid container, generally designated bythe reference numeral 32, has a smaller lower opening 34, preferably inthe form of a bottleneck 36 with external threads 38 so that it can bescrew-threaded into the tubular insert 26 of the sealing mechanism 16.

A removable top or cap 40 closes off the large opening 30 at the top ofthe liquid container 12 in a sealed condition. As shown in FIGS. 4A-4C,the removable cap 40 is preferably made of three pieces for ease ofmanufacture, including a outer shell 402, an inner shell 404 and a ringseal 406.

The outer shell 402 is molded as an annular ring with internal threads408 that mate with the external threads 42 on the upstanding neck 28 ofthe liquid container. The outer shell also includes a central opening410 with an inner flange generally designated by reference numeral 412.The inner flange 412 has a sloped lower surface 414 that tapers from thetop 416 of the flange outwardly toward the internal threads 408. Asshown in FIG. 4A, the outer surface 418 of the outer shell 402 may beprovided with texture elements 420 to facilitate the user's grip whenopening and closing the cap 40.

The inner shell 404 has an elevated central portion 422 that fits withinthe central opening 410, and a rim portion 424 that abuts against thelower surface 426 of the inner shell 402. A raised ring 428 on the outersurface 430 of the central portion 422 rides along the sloped lowersurface 414 of the flange 412 when the shells are brought intoengagement with one another and then “snaps” into position on the top416 of the flange 412 when the cap is assembled for use, as shown inFIG. 4C. The top 403 of the inner shell 404 is preferably formed toinclude a hook or loop 421 to allow the feeder when in use to besuspended from a support structure (not shown) in a hangingconfiguration.

The ring seal 406 is mounted with a press fit and/or is insert moldedover an appropriately shaped structure on an underside of the innershell. As shown in FIG. 4B, this structure may be embodied as adownwardly projecting ring 432 that is received within a correspondingannular channel 434 in the upper surface 436 of the ring seal 406. Thelower surface 438 of the ring seal 406 preferably includes an additionalannular channel 440 that receives the upper edge 29 of the neck 28 ofthe liquid container 12. The mating threads of the removable cap andupstanding neck, together with the ring seal, form an airtight seal whenthe cap 40 is tightened to close the top of the feeder.

The feeding basin 14 is generally circular in plan view with a cover 18and a base 20 molded of suitable polymer material. The cover 18 has acentral opening 46 from which a downwardly depending collar 48 havinginside threads 50 extends toward the base 20. The cover 18 is alsomolded to include a plurality of openings 52 at spaced locations aroundthe cover periphery for receiving feeding ports, generally designated byreference numeral 54. The feeding ports 54 are preferably molded in onepiece with a connecting part 56 to engage the openings with a press orsnap fit, along with an ornamental part 58 to enhance the overallappearance of the feeder and increase its attractiveness to thehummingbirds. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, theornamental part 58 resembles flower petals. The cover 18 is alsopreferably formed with outwardly projecting perches 60 to support thehummingbirds when feeding.

The base 20 includes a bottom 70 and a curved, upwardly directedperimeter base wall 72. The base wall 72 and the bottom define a fluidholding area, generally designated by the reference numeral 74, of thebase.

As shown in FIG. 5, the outer perimeter of the cover 18 has a lip 62that engages a complementary recess 64 on the upper edge 65 of the basewall 72 to ensure a sealed connection between the cover 18 and base 20when they are coupled together. This coupling is accomplished throughthreaded engagement between the inside threads 50 on the downwardlydepending collar 48 on the cover 18 with outside threads 66 formed onthe upwardly extending collar 22 of the sealing mechanism as shown inFIGS. 6 and 7. The upwardly extending collar 22 of the sealing mechanism16 is preferably integrally molded with the base 20, but it can beformed separately and then attached to the bottom inner surface 68 ofthe base 20 in any manner known by persons of ordinary skill in the artto be suitable for sealingly joining plastic parts.

As shown in FIGS. 5-9, the upwardly extending collar 22 of the sealingmechanism 16 is centrally positioned on the bottom surface 68 of thebase bottom 70 and projects above the top of the base wall 72. Thecollar 22 includes a plurality of cutouts or openings formed therein, afirst plurality of cutouts generally designated by reference numeral 80being positioned in the upper region of the collar, and a secondplurality of cutouts generally designated by reference numeral 82 beingpositioned in the lower region of the collar.

The cutouts or openings 82 in the lower region of the collar 22 arereferred to as “mouth” openings 82 because they control fluid flow fromthe liquid container 12 to the basin 14 as will be explainedhereinafter. The mouth openings 82 preferably extend upwardly from thebase bottom surface 68 so that the bottom of the cutout is open to thebottom surface 68. The top edge 84 of the mouth openings 82 is lowerthan the peripheral edge 65 of the base wall 72. As shown, the mouthopenings 82 are generally rectangular, but other shapes could also beused, such as triangular with the base of the triangle being flush withthe base bottom.

As shown in FIGS. 5-7 and 10, the collar 22 also includes a plurality ofcutouts, generally designated by reference numeral 80, in the upperregion of the collar 22. The cutouts 80 are spaced from one another bysolid portions 86 of the collar. Each cutout 80 includes a centralelongated cutout, generally designated by the reference numeral 90,flanked on each side by an elongated side cutout 92 having a lengthsubstantially equal to that of the central cutout 90. The upper edge ofthe central cutout 90 is open such that the upper rim 94 of the collaris interrupted or broken by the central cutouts 90. The side cutouts 92are bounded on all sides by the collar.

Each side cutout 92 includes a notched side 96 adjacent thecorresponding central cutout 90 and an opposing side 98 formed by one ofthe solid portions 86 of the collar. The notched side 96 forms a strip100 of material having a relatively thin width that allows the strip 100to be flexed or biased toward the opposing side 98. The center of eachstrip 100 has a notch 102 that projects into the central cutout 90.Since there are notched strips 100 on each side of the central cutout90, the result is that the two notches form a “waist”, generallydesignated by the reference numeral 104, in the central cutout. Inaddition, it is preferable for the width of the central cutout 90immediately above the notches 102 to be slightly wider than at the upperedge of the central cutout that is open to the upper rim 94 of thecollar for reasons that will be discussed hereinafter. According to thepreferred embodiment shown, there are four cutouts 80 evenly spacedaround the collar.

The inner surface 105 of the collar 22 is generally smooth with theexception of a recess 106 formed in the upper region of one of the solidportions 86 of the collar. This recess 106 is used to properly orientthe tubular insert 26 and prevent turning thereof as will be describedhereinafter.

Mounted on the bottom 70 of the base 20 and inside the collar 22 is thestopper 24 which functions with the collar and the insert 26 to form thesealing mechanism. The stopper 24 is generally disc-shaped with a lowerportion 108 interlocked with the base bottom 70 and having an outercircumference 110 that is smaller than the inner circumference 112 ofthe collar. The lower portion 108 of the stopper is provided with anannular channel 114 that sealingly interlocks with a stepped structure116 in the bottom 70 of the base to seal an opening, generallydesignated by the reference numeral 117, formed in the bottom 70 toreceive the stopper 24 (see FIGS. 2, 8 and 9). An upper portion 118 ofthe stopper has an outer circumference 120 that is smaller than theouter circumference 110 of the lower portion 108 of the stopper 24 toform a shoulder 122, and the overall height of the stopper 24 is lessthan the height of the mouth openings 82 in the lower region of thecollar.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the tubular insert 26 has an internally threadedupper part 130 with threads 131 that opens to an upper insert edge 132,and an unthreaded lower part 134 which opens to a lower insert edge 136.Beginning at the lower insert edge, the diameter of the inner face 133tapers toward the upper part 130. The upper and lower parts areseparated by an annular inner flange 140 that is smaller than thediameter of the inner face 133 of the unthreaded lower part 134. Theupper surface 138 of the flange 140 is substantially flat, while thelower surface slopes outwardly to form a sloped surface 142.

The outer surface of the tubular insert 26 includes a plurality ofprotrusions, generally designated by reference numeral 150, spaced fromone another at a distance that corresponds with the spacing of thecentral cutouts 90 in the upper region of the collar (see FIGS. 6 and7). Each protrusion 150 is oriented longitudinally with respect to theinsert to define an upper end 152 nearest the upper insert edge 132 anda lower end 154 distal from the upper end 152. A center part of eachprotrusion 150 is wider than the two ends and preferably has a curved,concave shape forming a bulged center part 156. The outer surface 158 ofthe tubular insert also has a further protrusion or stop 160 whose uppersurface 161 is flush with the upper insert edge 132 and generallytrapezoidal in cross section (see FIG. 10). This trapezoidal stop 160 isreceived in the recess 106 formed in the upper region of one of thesolid portions 86 of the collar 22 to properly orient the tubular insert26 and prevent rotational turning of the insert 26 inside the collar 22as noted earlier. The trapezoidal shape is oriented to provide greatestresistance to turning of the insert 26 in a clock-wise direction toprevent over-tightening of the liquid container 12 when it is threadedlyengaged with the insert.

To assemble the sealing mechanism in an embodiment in which the collaris integrally molded with the base, the stopper 24 is first secured tothe bottom 70 of the base 20 inside the collar 22. In this position, theupper and lower portions 118, 108 of the stopper are visible through themouth openings 82 in the lower region of the collar as shown in FIG. 6.

The tubular insert 26 is then positioned for insertion into the collar22 with the protrusions 150 in alignment with the central cutouts 90 ofthe cutouts 80 and the stop 160 in alignment with the collar recess 106.When so aligned, the insert 26 can be slid into the collar 22 to a firstposition where each of the protrusions 150 is received in its respectivecentral cutout 90 and the center bulges 156 rest above the “waist” 104on the tops of the two notches 102 of the respective strips 100 locatedon either side of each central cutout 90 (see FIG. 6). In this firstposition, the upper edge 132 of the insert 26 is approximately flushwith the upper rim 94 of the collar. Since the width of the centralcutout 90 is slightly greater above the “waist” 104 than at the upperedge by the rim 94, the insert 26 in the first position is preventedfrom falling out of the collar 22 in response to the force of gravity ifthe base 20 is inverted.

When in the first position, the outer face 136 of the insert 26 is abovethe stopper 24 and substantially flush with the upper edge 84 of themouth openings 82 in the lower region of the collar 22. Hence, there isopen fluid flow communication between the inside of the insert and thefluid holding area 74 of the base 20 through the mouth openings 82.

From the first open position, the insert 26 is movable to a secondposition by applying downward pressure on the insert, forcing it towardthe bottom 70 of the base 20. In response to the downward pressure ofthe bulges 156 on the “waist” 104, the strips 100 forming the notchedsides 96 flex outwardly into their respective side cutouts 92, wideningthe “waist” 104 to allow the bulges 156 to pass into the lower part ofthe central cutout 90 below the waist. Once the notches 102 are past thenarrowest point of the “waist” 104, the insert snaps into the secondposition shown in FIG. 7 with an audible and physically detectable“snap” or click. The insert is then held firmly in a fixed position bythe contact between the bottom of the notches 102 and the upper side ofthe bulges 156, with the upper insert edge 132 being lower than theupper rim 94 of the collar.

In the second closed position, the sloped surface 142 of the unthreadedlower part 134 of the insert 26 comes into sealing engagement with thestopper 24, with the inner face 133 of the insert fitting over the outercircumference 120 and the lower insert edge 136 engaging the shoulder122 of the stopper 24. The lower part 134 of the insert 26 can be seenthrough the mouth openings 82 in the lower region of the collar, alongwith the lower portion 108 of the stopper, as shown in FIG. 7. Hence, inthe second position there is no fluid communication between the insideof the insert and the fluid holding area 74 of the base as the mouthopenings 82 are blocked or closed by the relationship between thestopper 24 and the insert 26.

To assemble the remainder of the feeder with the insert 26 in either thefirst or the second positions, the cover 18 of the basin 14 is securedto the base 20 through threaded engagement between the inside threads 50on the downwardly depending collar 48 of the cover 18 with the outsidethreads 66 on the upwardly extending collar 22 of the sealing mechanism.When screwed all the way on, the lip 62 on the outer perimeter of thecover 18 engages the complementary recess 64 on the outer perimeter 65of the base wall 72 to ensure a sealed connection between the cover andbase when they are coupled together.

The basin is now as shown in FIG. 3 and is ready to receive the liquidcontainer 12 which is connected by threaded engagement of the outsidethreads 38 on the neck 36 of the container with the threads 131 on thethreaded upper part 130 of the tubular insert. When fully engaged, theliquid container can be pulled up to move the insert 26 back to thefirst position, forcing the bulges 156 past the notches 102 of the“waist” 104, or pushed down to move the insert 26 back into the secondposition, effectively opening and closing the mouth openings 82 in thebottom region of the collar to allow or prevent fluid flow,respectively, from the liquid container into the fluid holding area 74of the base.

To fill the feeder from an empty state, as when the feeder is firstpurchased, the user first verifies that the mouth openings are closed bypushing the liquid container downward toward by basin. The movement ofthe bulges against the “waist” and then past to snap into the lowerportion of the central cutouts will produce an audible click or snap;the movement of the bulges past the “waist” can also be felt as apositive stepped movement by the user. The sealing mechanism 16 is thusclosed.

With the mouth openings thus closed, i.e., with the insert in the secondposition, the top cap 40 is removed from the liquid container 12 and thecontainer is filled with fluid, such as hummingbird nectar, through thetop opening 30. The sealed condition of the sealing mechanism preventsany fluid from entering the fluid holding area 74. The top cap is thenscrewed back in place and hand-tightened to form an airtight seal.Supporting the basin 14 with one hand, the liquid container 12 is thenpulled upwardly until an audible snap is heard and physical feedback isreceived indicating that the insert 26 has been moved to the firstposition, opening the mouth openings. The basin 14 will thenautomatically fill with nectar from the container as a vacuum forms inthe top of the container, and the feeder is ready to use.

As the feeder is in use, the nectar level will be reduced. To top offthe feeder or fill an almost empty container, the user closes the mouthopenings by pushing the container downwardly toward the basin to movethe insert to the second closed position. The top cap 40 can then beunscrewed allowing the container to be refilled through the containertop opening 30 without having the basin 14 overflow. When the top cap isresealed, the sealed condition creates a vacuum in the top of thecontainer that prevents the fluid in the fluid holding area from flowingout through the feed ports. The remaining step is the same as with a newfeeder, namely pulling the container upwardly to open the mouthopenings.

To disassemble the feeder for cleaning, the steps taken to assemble thefeeder are reversed. The container is unscrewed from the basin, and thenthe cover of the basin is unscrewed from the base with a conventionalcounter-clockwise rotation. The insert is then removed from the collarand all of the parts can be washed in water, preferably with warm soapywater, and then rinsed. Reassembly is then accomplished as discussedabove.

The sealed closure of the mouth openings when the insert 26 is in thesecond closed position allows the container to be refilled through theopen top 30 easily and without messy fluid loss. This greatly increasesthe convenience to the user as compared with hummingbird feeders thathave to be inverted for filling. Inversion-fill feeders cannot be“topped off” or fully filled when in a partially filled state withoutlosing all of the liquid nectar still in the base since the base must beturned upside down after filling the reservoir in order to replace thebase.

The foregoing descriptions and drawings should be considered asillustrative only of the principles of the invention. The invention maybe configured in a variety of shapes and sizes and is not limited by thedimensions of the preferred embodiment. Numerous applications of thepresent invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art.Therefore, it is not desired to limit the invention to the specificexamples disclosed or the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed. Rather, all suitable modifications and equivalents may beresorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A top-fill hummingbird feeder comprising: a liquidcontainer having a top end with a fill opening and a bottom end with aflow opening; a removable cap for sealing the fill opening, saidcontainer being filled through said fill opening when the cap isremoved; an insert coupled to the bottom end of said liquid containerand movable therewith; a feeding basin having a connecting element andat least one feeding port in liquid flow communication with a fluidholding area inside said basin, said connecting element being an outerwall with mouth openings therein, said insert configured to be movablebetween a first position and a second position relative to saidconnecting element; a seal element positioned below said insert andoperative to block said mouth openings when said insert is in saidsecond position to prevent fluid flow from the container into the fluidholding area, and to enable fluid flow from the liquid container intosaid fluid holding area through the mouth openings when said insert isin said first position, said insert being moved to said first positionrelative to said connecting element when said container is pulled awayfrom said basin and said insert being moved to the second positionrelative to said connecting element when said container is pushed towardsaid basin.
 22. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim21, wherein said connecting element outer wall includes a first engagingstructure and said insert includes a second engaging structurecomplementary with said first engaging structure, said first and secondengaging structures being operative with one another to define saidfirst and second positions of said insert.
 23. The top-fill hummingbirdfeeder as set forth in claim 22, wherein said first engaging structureincludes a longitudinally extending central cutout and said secondengaging structure includes a projection sized to be received withinsaid central cutout, said central cutout having a first width portionand a second width portion narrower than said first width portion, saidprojection being positioned above said second width portion when saidinsert is in said first position and being positioned below said secondwidth portion when said insert is in said second position.
 24. Thetop-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 23, wherein saidconnecting element central cutout further includes at least one sidecutout positioned on one side of said central cutout and separated fromsaid central cutout by a respective strip of said outer wall, said striphaving a notch that projects into said central cutout to form saidsecond width portion.
 25. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forthin claim 24, wherein said strip is flexible so that, when said liquidcontainer with said insert coupled thereto is pushed toward said basin,said strip flexes and moves sideways into said side cutout, allowing theprojection to press past the notch and into the first width portion ofthe central cutout at which point the insert is in said second positionin which fluid flow from the liquid container into said fluid holdingarea is blocked.
 26. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth inclaim 21, wherein said insert is a generally tubular insert member andsaid connecting element is generally cylindrical with an open centerinto which said generally tubular insert member is inserted.
 27. Thetop-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 25, wherein saidgenerally tubular insert member has inside threads and is coupled tosaid liquid container by a threaded engagement with an external threadedbottleneck of said container that forms said bottom end flow opening.28. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 26, whereinsaid generally cylindrical connecting element is a collar affixed to abase of the feeding basin, said mouth openings being formed in an outerwall of said collar.
 29. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth inclaim 28, wherein said seal element includes an elastic disc having anupper part with a smaller diameter than a lower part to form a shoulder,a lower end of said generally tubular insert member having an unthreadedbore with a tapering inner diameter that engages said shoulder in saidsecond position to block fluid flow through said mouth openings in saidcollar wall.
 30. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim28, wherein said collar includes a plurality of central cutouts adjacentan upper rim thereof, said generally tubular insert member having acorresponding plurality of projections that are sized to be receivedwithin said central cutouts.
 31. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as setforth in claim 28, wherein said collar wall further includes avertically extending recess formed adjacent the upper rim, saidgenerally tubular insert member having a corresponding stop that isreceived in said recess when said generally tubular insert member is insaid first and second positions, said stop configured to prevent axialrotation of said generally tubular insert member within said collar. 32.A top-fill hummingbird feeder comprising: a liquid container having atop end with a fill opening and a bottom end including a threadedbottleneck having a bottom end flow opening; a removable cap for sealingthe top end opening, said container being filled through said top endopening when the cap is removed; a feeding basin having at least onefeeding port in liquid flow communication with a fluid holding areainside said basin; a sealing assembly including a lower part affixed tothe feeding basin, an upper part connected to said threaded bottleneckso as to be movable with said liquid container, and a sealing member,said sealing assembly upper part and said sealing member being receivedwithin said sealing assembly lower part, said sealing assembly upperpart being engaged with said sealing assembly lower part in either afirst position in which fluid is able to flow from the liquid containerinto the fluid holding area, and a second position in which fluid flowfrom the liquid container into the fluid holding area is blocked by thesealing member, said sealing assembly upper part being placed into saidfirst and second positions by movement of said container and sealingassembly upper part toward and away from said feeding basin with saidsealing assembly lower part.
 33. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as setforth in claim 32, wherein said sealing assembly upper part has athreaded inner bore that is threadedly connected to the threadedbottleneck.
 34. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim32, wherein said sealing assembly upper part has at least a firstengaging structure and said sealing assembly lower part includes atleast a second engaging structure operative to be flexibly engaged withsaid first engaging structure to define the first and second positions.35. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 34, whereinsaid first engaging structure includes a projection on an outer surfaceof said sealing assembly upper part and said second engaging structureincludes a cutout in said sealing assembly lower part, said cutouthaving an upper region and a lower region for receiving said projection,and a flexible positioning element associated with said cutout andconfigured to stop said projection in said cutout upper region when saidsealing assembly upper part is initially received in said sealingassembly lower part to define said first position, said projection beingmovable past said flexible positioning element and into said lowerregion to define said second position through application of sufficientforce to push said container toward said basin, said positioning elementflexing sufficiently to accommodate passage of said projection betweensaid upper and lower regions.
 36. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as setforth in claim 35, wherein said sealing assembly lower part is a collarwith a wall defining a central area within which said sealing member ispositioned, said flexible positioning element forming a narrowed regionin said cutout that separates the upper and lower regions thereof. 37.The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 36, wherein saidcollar includes mouth openings in fluid flow communication with thefluid holding area and with said liquid container, said sealing assemblyupper part being above said mouth openings in said first position andblocking said mouth openings in said second position.
 38. The top-fillhummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 36, wherein said flexiblepositioning element is a strip of said collar wall bounded on one sideby said cutout and on an opposing side by a side cutout formed in saidcollar wall.
 39. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim38, wherein said strip includes a notch that projects into said cutoutto form a waist between the upper and lower regions of said cutout, saidwaist holding said projection in said upper region when said sealingassembly upper part is in said first position and said strip havingsufficient flexibility to flex into said side cutout to allow theprojection to move into the lower region in response to pushing pressureon said liquid container toward said basin.
 40. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 32, wherein said sealing member isfixed within said sealing assembly lower part adjacent a bottom surfaceof said basin.